Otto of the Silver Hand

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes descriptions of child abuse and graphic violence.

The tone of the narrative posits that the dichotomy of good and evil exists within every person and lies at the heart of much of the internal and external conflict that Otto experiences during his young life. Otto is born into a family that has always survived by the “iron hand” of violence and thievery, but he is raised in a monastery where peace and kindness are promoted and celebrated as the ultimate keys to a virtuous life. Otto therefore experiences both worlds and is able to develop a unique perspective as a result. At the end of the story, his wisdom becomes an essential aspect of the positive social changes that occur as a result of his influence.

Otto understands “both the good and the bad of men” (2) because of his early teachings at the monastery and his experiences upon returning to Castle Drachenhausen. Originally, Otto was taught in absolutes, believing that people could not be both good and evil. Upon meeting his father, however, he finds that there is at least one man who is not as simplistic as embodying one or the other.